Feeding During the Third Year

What changes may be made in the diet during the third year?

The night feeding at 10 P.M. should be omitted. A greater quantity of solid food may be allowed, particularly at the mid-day meal. It is not advisable to begin potato and other vegetables until this age is reached. Three regular meals should be given and milk once besides, either between the breakfast and dinner or dinner and supper, whichever is the longer interval. Water should be allowed freely between meals.

What would be a proper schedule for an average child during the third year?

7.30 A.M. Cereal: cooked (preferably over night) for three hours, although a somewhat larger variety may be given than during the second year; given as before with milk or thin cream, salt, but very little sugar.

Warm milk, one glass.

A soft egg, poached, boiled or coddled.

Bread, very stale or dry, one slice, with butter.

10 A.M. Warm milk, one cup, with a cracker or piece of very stale bread and butter.

2 P.M. Soup, four ounces; or, beef juice, two ounces.

A baked white potato; or, boiled rice.

Green vegetable: asparagus tips, string beans, peas, spinach; all to be cooked until very soft, and mashed, or preferably put through a sieve; at first, one or two teaspoonfuls.

Dessert: cooked fruit—baked or stewed apple, stewed prunes.

Water; no milk.

6 P.M. Cereal: farina, cream of wheat, or arrowroot, cooked for at least one half hour, with plenty of salt, but without sugar; or, milk toast; or, bread and milk; or, stale or dry bread and butter and a glass of milk.

PART III
THE DIET OF OLDER CHILDREN (FOURTH TO TENTH YEAR)

Throughout this period the largest meal should always be in the middle of the day, and a light supper given, very much like that described for the third year. During the first half of this period, milk may be allowed once either between breakfast and dinner or dinner and supper; no other eating between meals should be permitted, but water should be allowed freely.